Wednesday, March 22, 2006

When I look up "intellectually lazy" in the dictionary, there is a picture of Bill Sizemore.

I had no idea that one man could bring "intellectually lazy" to the dizzying heights you've managed. I sit in awe at how readily you're willing to go straight to vapid, pigeonholing dialogue in an effort to make a meaningless point. To wit:

Most liberals don’t like guns. In fact, it is probably fair to say that most liberals eschew violence in all its forms. That means no capital punishment, no boxing matches, no torturing information out of terrorists, no shooting bad guys who break into my house, no murdering trees with a chainsaw, and no killing critters, especially if all you are going to do is skin ‘em and keep the hide. Oh yeah, and no nuclear weapons.

Its probably fair to say that some liberals don't like guns. Its probably fair to say that some conservatives don't like guns either. There are probably some men who don't like guns, as well as women. Some liberals eschew all forms of violence. As do some conservatives. I'd be willing to bet we could find folks on all sides of the ideological spectrum who believe that torturing people, even in an attempt to glean information, is bad. The same with the rest of your laundry list. Now that we've eliminated incredibly lazy and careless attempts at broadbrushing an entire group perhaps we begin a real understanding.

Okay, I get it. But I have one question for all you anti-gun, anti-violence liberals. Why is it, if I don’t pay my taxes, you want to send gun toting government agent out to my property to physically take my house away from me?

Since you appear to be one who isn't bothered by guns, why would you care if an individual sent to enforce the law is carrying one?

But the real question, beyond the faux indignance at the gun toting sheriff, is why do you have such disregard for the Constitution? According to Article One Section Eight, it is the charge of the Congress to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States...

I can't understand why someone who purports to be a patriot would work so hard to shrug his most basic patriotic duty--to pay his taxes. Taxes are how we pay to defend this nation. Its how we pay for our highways and basic infrastructure. Its how we pay to defend our homeland from terrorists and keep bad guys off the streets. Paying taxes is the dues we pay to live in the greatest nation on Earth.

Every time some tax dodging corporation or individual shirks their taxpaying duty, it makes it that much more difficult for the government to fulfill its Constitutional mandates. The shameful act of blaming liberals because you don't love and respect your country or its laws is disgusting.

Its no different than burning a flag or urinating on a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Working to dodge taxes is just as disrepectful and disdainful of our nation as doing those things.

You don't get to live under the blanket of freedom for nothing, Bill. There is a financial price to be paid. The rest of us shouldn't have to foot your share of the bill. We're not here to be your welfare state.